An Author Profile with Richard Jarzynka, author of Blessed with Bipolar

Blessed with Biploar

Letting yourself go wild in your writing. A relentless unwillingness to settle for anything less than brutal emotional honesty – with yourself. Driving into the pain, bleeding a little, and winking at it with a knowing grin.

Favorite quote from a book?

 “. . . it’s the truth even if it didn’t happen.” – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

When and why did you begin writing?

I was 18 and had just given up a football scholarship to Georgia Tech. Without that dream, I was clueless about what to do next, so, naturally . . . I proceeded aimlessly to another college. My head was already filled with everything that I did not yet know to be bipolar. I was lost. I started listening to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan because I loved their story-telling, passion, and what seemed to be honesty. I tried to write like them to get the bipolar out of my head. It helped, but I still ended up on a psych ward.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Natalie Goldberg. She is the author of “Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life.”

In it she offers these seven simple rules for writing: Keep your hand moving; Lose control; Be specific; Don’t think; Don’t worry about punctuation, spelling, or grammar; You are free to write the worst junk in America; Go for the jugular.

It works for me.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I do most of my writing in the food court of a shopping mall. Something about that environment stimulates my brain. I think it has something to do with being surrounded by people that I don’t have to talk to.

Find out more about BLESSED WITH BIPOLAR

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Infinite Exposure

ISBN 978-0-9770866-8-9 is an e-book by Roland Hughes, published by Logical Solutions in 465 pages.

Infinite Exposure

To provide more details would spoil, for the reader, a most interesting and thought-provoking proposal of a possible future American agenda.

With respect to the writing, Roland Hughes quite masterfully juggles the various elements, as they shift from one to the next. His characters are interesting, and the story’s progression is at a fine pace. I read an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book which contained spelling and grammar problems. However, I understand the author has since had the manuscript fully edited and corrected. With removal of this jarring note, I should like to say that Roland Hughes has provided added enjoyment to a highly recommended read that presents some very serious thoughts to ponder, as well.

To purchase this exciting new book, visit:  
http://www.infiniteexposure.net 

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Take Charge Living

This is the subject of Dr. Marion Kramer Jacobs’ book, Take-Charge Living: How to Recast Your Role in Life…One Scene at a Time. “Dr. Jacobs is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Laguna Beach, California and Adjunct Professor of Psychology at UCLA.” (Jacobs, 2006, 2008) She takes the reader step-by-step through the process of taking back control of your life. She compares it with the work that Professor Henry Higgins has Eliza Doolittle do in order to change her way of speaking into that of a lady of high society in “Pygmalion, Bernard Shaw’s classic play, and My Fair Lady, the smash Broadway musical.” (p. 1)

It is not possible to change habits that have taken years to form in an instant. It takes hard work and determination. But as the title indicates, it’s comparable to starring in your own play. In Part I, “Star in Your Own Show”, you must decide what it is that needs to be changed. It is here that you learn to not blame your difficulties on others, but figure out what you can do to change yourself. This is where you will write your script or take questionnaires and learn more about what it is that makes you behave the way you do.

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Trail Thoughts; A Daily Companion for Your Journey of Faith

Trail Thoughts

When Eric Kampmann was a young man, he embarked on his journey in the professional world. In this journey he worked toward one goal: reaching the top of the ladder. Then one day his life completely changed in what he defines as his “Jonah moment.” A moment when the bottom fell out of his plans, his dreams, his life. The moment when he turned his life over to God instead of chasing his own ideas and dreams. He has authored three books (Trail Thoughts being the third one) and is also a teacher, speaker, hiker, entrepreneur, husband, and a father of four.

Eric Kampmann is an avid hiker and has section hiked 1500 miles of The Appalachian Trail. It is through these experiences that he brings to the readers the beauty of nature and what can be learned from his hikes in those breathtaking mountains. Like someone leading us down a winding trail, the author, in Trail Thoughts, takes us on January first to the very beginning of time. He then leads us every day through Scripture to the last day of the year with Jesus describing Himself as the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end of time as we know it. Mr. Kampmann has a way of not only describing different passages of Scripture, but he also links those passages with different ones. For instance, he connects the Psalms to other stories or passages in the Bible (i.e. Joseph, Job, John the Baptist, etc.) It’s a beautiful way of weaving together verses that share a common interest.

Take the time to enjoy this wonderful book and you will discover that it was time well spent.

Our reviewer, Jennifer Barker writes from North Carolina.

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